


The Gate of Orion

by kesomon



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Crossover, Gen, Introspection, Melancholy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-09
Updated: 2006-08-09
Packaged: 2018-05-22 07:51:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6071164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kesomon/pseuds/kesomon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SG-1's quest to find the Sangrall takes them to an ancient world, but it's not as abandoned as they thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Gate of Orion

**Author's Note:**

> Set after The Runaway Bride for Doctor Who, and sometime during Season 10 post-the Pegasus Project for Stargate SG-1.
> 
> Alternate to canon, and written on the assumption that the Doctor would meet Martha on Mars, which was a rumor prior to Season 3's Smith and Jones.
> 
> Originally posted to FFN 8/9/2006. Edited for spelling mistakes but otherwise posted in its original format.

From the minute Daniel Jackson stepped from the Stargate, his boots knocking dully on the ruins of ancient steps, he could feel it. The sense of age and time, clinging like dust to the crumbling rock. He'd felt it in many places he'd traveled to, on Earth and, more often now then before, the planets that orbited alien stars. But it still sent a shiver up his spine. Excitement? Nervousness? Adventurous spirit waiting to be set loose? It was hard to tell. He always did enjoy that feeling though.

"Now that is just-…wow." Cameron's voice cut through his thoughts, and the archaeologist glanced towards the team commander. Lieutenant-Colonel Mitchell was admiring the surrounding ruins in awe. The Stargate had been set against the wall of a crumbling building, the stone ancient and deprecated by time. It had probably been indoors at some point, though now the sky above was unhindered to view. It was cloudy, cool. Peaceful.

If he closed his eyes, he could just about hear the soft music of the wind, whistling gently through the ruins. The feel of the air on his skin, charged with ions. The calm following a storm…

"Feels sorta like Earth after a thunderstorm." Sam voiced Daniel's thoughts, glancing up at the sky for a few moments before fussing with a readings instrument. "The air must be charged with ions, it's interfering with our equipment. Radios won't work too well if that's the case, so stay well within range."

"Alright. Hey Sam, I'm gonna scout around a little bit. If the Ancients were here there's gotta be some writing left behind. It might just give us an idea of where the Sangrall would be hidden…if it's here." Daniel announced, gesturing vaguely in a direction with his hand as he stepped carefully over the mossy stonework.

"Stay in radio contact." Sam repeated, waving him a go-ahead before she set off exploring herself, alongside Cam.

Daniel turned his attention to the path at hand and stretched out a hand to brace him against the crumbling wall, legging it up onto a ledge. This place was definitely old. It felt like the Ancients. Weeks of following Merlin's clues, Morgan La Fay's directions, obscure text references, they had all led to this place. And Daniel had high hopes that these ruins might hold the key, if not the Sangrall itself, to the mystery of Merlin's weapon.

As the man reached the top of the hill, adorned by yet another fallen building, he stopped to catch his breath, but it was taken away as his blue eyes gazed out over the landscape below. Stretching out across the planet, dusky hills of green and blue rolled, a lake shimmering beneath the light in the far distance, and the looming presence of twin moons just barely visible in the clouded sky were outlined in the dim blue.

"Wow…" he breathed softly.

"Innit just?" An unknown, wistful voice remarked from behind, the crunch of the ground indicating footsteps drawing closer. Daniel spun about, startled, unholstering his sidearm and bringing it up in defense. He'd been hanging around Cameron too long. The archaeologist blinked in surprise as he took in the man who had snuck up behind him.

The stranger was human, or at least humanoid. He didn't seem phased by the gun pointed at his chest either; his brilliant grin was rather cheeky, in fact. His hands were slid into his coat pockets. Daniel had to double-take the dress sense. The pinstriped suit, loosened tie, and ankle-length trenchcoat looked like they were straight from Earth. Daniel had a strong suspicion they WERE from Earth: the khaki sneakers that ended the ensemble said Converse.

"WELL, I should've expected that. Oh wait, I did expect that." He remarked brightly, pulling his hands out of his coat pockets and raising them in customary surrendering fashion. "Mind dropping the gun mate? I've had enough troubles for one day, thanks." The stranger's accent sounded English, with maybe a dash of Scottish flare thrown in. Daniel dropped his gun, though he didn't holster it. Even a friendly face in a seemingly abandoned world could be hiding something sinister.

"Sorry, you just startled me." Daniel apologized warily, eyeing the man over again as he dropped his hands, stepping a bit closer, just to stand near the archaeologist.

"Psh, nah, completely my fault, what with sneaking up on you and all. How do you do? I'm the Doctor." The man offered a hand to shake, which Daniel grasped firmly. It was much cooler then he expected.

"Doctor Daniel Jackson, SG-1. Earth." Daniel added as an afterthought. "How did you get here? This planet showed no life-signs readings when we sent our probe through." The Doctor's smile grew somewhat enigmatic as he slid his hands into his coat pockets again, rocking on his heels as he glanced out over the landscape.

"Ah I come and go, Daniel. Fairs fair though, I haven't been to the Eye of Orion in quite a few lifetimes. Thought I was due a visit." His words sounded distant and sad. "Rose would've loved it here…"

"The Eye of Orion? Is that this planet's name?" Daniel questioned curiously. The Doctor glanced towards him with a somewhat bemused expression.

"Naw, what's in a name? Nothing but a random word really, giving a foothold to cling to as the world spins beneath our feet…" He trailed away with a sort of small half-smile. "But most who come here say that yes, this is the Eye of Orion." The man's eyes darkened somewhat as he stared through Daniel's glasses, brown eyes meeting blue with such strength that Daniel fought the urge to look away.

"You came through the Stargate." The man remarked casually. "Fascinating way to travel. The Alterans really knew their stuff. Personally, give me a good ol' phone box any day." The cheeky grin was back as Daniel blinked.

"You know about the Stargate and the Ancients?"

"Allies to the end of time. Or at least we were." The Doctor shrugged with a sigh, and turned his attention to the scenery. "Not anymore though…not with-" He cut off, as if catching himself in a secret, and smiled mysteriously at Daniel.

"You humans. Adventurous as ever to the bitter end. 's what I love about you." He beamed brightly, barely letting the 'you humans' comment sink past Daniel's mind before he had spun about and hopped up the hill with the grace of a gazelle. Then he paused on the ridge, gazing out across the horizon.

"Such a shame it's come to the Sangrall, Rose'd probably find something _unbelievably_ more obvious, and probably infinitely less destructive." He halted as his voice gained a mournful edge, and turned a piercing, dark gaze on Daniel. "The weapon you're looking for isn't here, Doctor Daniel Jackson. The Eye of Orion is one of the last peaceful corners of the universe…so please don't muck it up."

For a moment, Daniel shuddered. The eyes that bore into him were the eyes of a man older then time. Then the feeling vanished, as the Doctor ran a hand through his ruffled brown hair thoughtfully, musing quietly to himself.

"End of the universe, beginning of the next…So many places, so many sights, sounds, tastes…trip round the galaxy might do me some good…Mars sounds nice this time of year." He glanced back at Daniel with a smile. "Goodbye Doctor! And good luck! 'm afraid I won't be in your battle, but time is time, far more precious then money, and I've wasted quite a fortune chatting away!"

"Well wait a second! Where are you going?" Daniel found his voice again, and scrambled up the hill after the strange young man. But the mysterious Doctor had vanished around the corner of a crumbling wall, and a loud, wheezing, rhythmically purring roar filled the air, a gust of wind ruffled Daniel's hair as he reached the top. The man gaped in silence, as what looked like a large blue phone box simply faded from sight.

Daniel's radio crackled to life, Sam's voice reaching his ears as he tore his eyes away from the empty space.

"Daniel, fall b- to the gate. There's noth-g here to see and there's a storm brewing, ion - is -eting stronger. Ge-l Landry wants us home in one piece for once."

"On my way back Sam." He responded, staring for one last, long moment at the empty courtyard. Then he smiled slightly, turning heel and hiking back down the hill towards the Stargate.

If only she knew the truth.


End file.
